Install or upgrade¶
Install Stack¶
Stack can be installed on most Linux distributions, macOS and Windows. It will require at least about 5 GB of disk space, of which about 3 GB is for a single version of GHC and about 2 GB is for Stack's local copy of the Hackage package index.
Stack is open to supporting more operating systems. To request support for an operating system, please submit an issue at Stack's GitHub repository.
Info
In addition to the methods described below, Stack can also be installed using the separate GHCup installer for Haskell-related tools. GHCup provides Stack for some combinations of machine architecture and operating system not provided elsewhere. Unlike Stack, other build tools do not automatically install GHC. GHCup can be used to install GHC for those other tools. By default, the script to install GHCup (which can be run more than once) also configures Stack so that if Stack needs a version of GHC, GHCup takes over obtaining and installing that version.
Releases on GitHub
Stack executables are also available on the releases page of Stack's GitHub repository.
https://get.haskellstack.org/stable
URLs
URLs with the format
https://get.haskellstack.org/stable/<PLATFORM>.<EXTENSION>
point to the
latest stable release. See the manual download links for examples.
For most Linux distributions, the easiest way to install Stack directly (rather than use GHCup) is to command:
or:
Note
The script at get.haskellstack.org will
ask for root access using sudo
. It needs such access in order to use
your platform's package manager to install dependencies and to install
to /usr/local/bin
. If you prefer more control, follow the manual
installation instructions for your platform below.
Manual download¶
Manual download for Linux distributions depends on your machine architecture, x86_64 or AArch64/ARM64.
-
Extract the archive and place the
stack
executable somewhere on your PATH (see the Path section below). -
Ensure you have the required system dependencies installed. These include GCC, GNU Make, xz, perl, libgmp, libffi, and zlib. We also recommend Git and GPG.
The installation of system dependencies will depend on the package manager for your Linux distribution. Notes are provided for Arch Linux, CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo and Ubuntu.
Ensure you have the ncurses
package with USE=tinfo
. Without it,
Stack will not be able to install GHC.
Linux packages¶
Some Linux distributions have official or unofficial packages for Stack, including Arch Linux, Debian, Fedora, NixOS, openSUSE/SUSE Linux Enterprise, and Ubuntu.
Linux packages that lag behind Stack's current version
The Stack version available as a Linux package may lag behind Stack's
current version. If so, using stack upgrade --binary-only
is
recommended after installing it. For Stack versions before 1.3.0 which
do not support --binary-only
, just stack upgrade
may work too.
The Arch extra package repository provides an official package. You can install it with the command:
This version may slightly lag behind, but it should be updated within the day. The package is also always rebuilt and updated when one of its dependencies gets an update.
The Arch User Repository (AUR) also provides a
package.
However, its Stack version lags behind, so running
stack upgrade --binary-only
is recommended after installing it. For
older Stack versions which do not support --binary-only
, just
stack upgrade
may work too.
To use stack setup
with versions of GHC before 7.10.3 or on a
32-bit system, you may need the AUR
ncurses5-compat-libs
package installed.
There are Debian packages for Stretch and up. However, the distribution's Stack version lags behind.
Fedora includes Stack, but its Stack version may lag behind.
Users who follow the nixos-unstable
channel or the Nixpkgs master
branch can install the latest Stack release into their profile with the
command:
Alternatively, the package can be built from source as follows.
-
Clone the git repo, with the command:
-
Create a
shell.nix
file with the command:Note that the tests fail on NixOS, so disable them with
--no-check
. Also, Haddock currently doesn't work for Stack, so--no-haddock
disables it. -
Install Stack to your user profile with the command:
For more information on using Stack together with Nix, please see the NixOS manual section on Stack.
There is also an unofficial package for openSUSE or SUSE Linux Enterprise. Its Stack version may lag behind. To install it:
There are Ubuntu packages for Ubuntu 18.04 and up. However, the distribution's Stack version lags behind.
It is possible to set up auto-completion of Stack commands. For further information, see the shell auto-completion documentation.
Most users of Stack on macOS will also have up to date tools for software development (see Xcode Command Line Tools below).
From late 2020, Apple began a transition from Mac computers with Intel processors (Intel-based Mac) to Mac computers with Apple silicon.
Intel-based Mac computers have processors with x86_64 architectures. For most Intel-based Mac computers, the easiest way to install Stack directly (rather than use GHCup) is to command:
or:
Note
The script at get.haskellstack.org
will ask for root access using sudo
. It needs such access in order
to use your platform's package manager to install dependencies and
to install to /usr/local/bin
. If you prefer more control, follow
the manual installation instructions below.
Info
We generally test on the current version of macOS and do our best to keep it compatible with the three most recent major versions. Stack may also work on older versions.
Manual download¶
-
Click to download an archive file with the latest release for x86_64 architectures.
-
Extract the archive and place
stack
somewhere on your PATH (see the Path section below). -
Now you can run Stack from the command line in a terminal.
Mac computers with Apple silicon have an M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M1 Ultra or M2 chip. These chips use an architecture known as ARM64 or AArch64.
For Mac computers with Apple silicon, the easiest way to install Stack directly (rather than use GHCup) is to command:
or:
Note
The script at get.haskellstack.org
will ask for root access using sudo
. It needs such access in order
to use your platform's package manager to install dependencies and
to install to /usr/local/bin
. If you prefer more control, follow
the manual installation instructions below.
The installation of Stack or some packages (e.g. network
) requiring C
source compilation might fail with configure: error: C compiler cannot
build executables
. In that case you should pass -arch arm64
as part
of the CFLAGS
environment variable. This setting will be picked up by
the C compiler of your choice.
# Assuming BASH below
# passing CFLAGS in-line with the command giving rise to the error
CFLAGS="-arch arm64 ${CFLAGS:-}" some_command_to_install_stack
CFLAGS="-arch arm64 ${CFLAGS:-}" stack [build|install]
# -- OR --
# ~/.bash_profile
# NOTE: only do this if you do not have to cross-compile, or remember to unset
# CFLAGS when needed
export CFLAGS="-arch arm64 ${CFLAGS:-}"
The setting instructs the C compiler to compile objects for ARM64. These can then be linked with libraries built for ARM64. Without the instruction, the C compiler, invoked by Cabal running in x86-64, would compile x86-64 objects and attempt to link them with existing ARM64 libraries, resulting in the error above.
Manual download¶
-
Click to download an archive file with the latest release for AArch64 architectures.
-
Extract the archive and place
stack
somewhere on your PATH (see the Path section below). -
Now you can run Stack from the command line in a terminal.
Using Homebrew¶
Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS. If you
have its brew
tool installed, you can just command:
-
The Homebrew formula and bottles are unofficial and lag slightly behind new Stack releases, but tend to be updated within a day or two.
-
Normally, Homebrew will install from a pre-built binary (aka "pour from a bottle"), but if it starts trying to build everything from source (which will take hours), see their FAQ on the topic.
Xcode Command Line Tools¶
macOS does not come with all the tools required for software development but a collection of useful tools, known as the Xcode Command Line Tools, is readily available. A version of that collection is provided with each version of Xcode (Appleās integrated development environment) and can also be obtained from Apple separately from Xcode. The collection also includes the macOS SDK (software development kit). The macOS SDK provides header files for macOS APIs.
If you use a command that refers to a common Xcode Command Line Tool and the Xcode Command Line Tools are not installed, macOS may prompt you to install the tools.
macOS also comes with a command line tool, xcode-select
, that can be used
to obtain the Xcode Command Line Tools. Command xcode-select --print-path
to print the path to the currently selected (active) developer directory. If
the directory does not exist, or is empty, then the Xcode Command Line Tools
are not installed.
If the Xcode Command Line Tools are not installed, command
xcode-select --install
to open a user interface dialog to request
automatic installation of the tools.
An upgrade of macOS may sometimes require the existing Xcode Command Line
Tools to be uninstalled and an updated version of the tools to be installed.
The existing tools can be uninstalled by deleting the directory reported by
xcode-select --print-path
.
If, after the installation of Stack, running stack setup
fails with
configure: error: cannot run C compiled programs.
that indicates that the
Xcode Command Line Tools are not installed.
If building fails with messages that *.h
files are not found, that may
also indicate that Xcode Command Line Tools are not up to date.
Xcode 10 provided an SDK for macOS 10.14 (Mojave) and
changed the location
of the macOS system headers. As a workaround, an extra package was provided
by Apple which installed the headers to the base system under
/usr/include
.
Auto-completion of Stack commands¶
It is possible to set up auto-completion of Stack commands. For further information, see the shell auto-completion documentation.
On 64-bit Windows, the easiest way to install Stack directly (rather than use GHCup) is to download and use the Windows installer.
Long user PATH environment variable
The Windows installer for Stack 2.9.1, 2.9.3 and 2.11.1 (only) will
replace the user PATH
environment variable (rather than append to it)
if a 1024 character limit is exceeded. If the content of your existing
user PATH
is long, preserve it before running the installer.
Anti-virus software
Systems with antivirus software may need to add Stack to the list of 'trusted' applications.
You may see a "Windows Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting" warning when you try to run the installer. If so, click on More info, and then click on the Run anyway button that appears.
We recommend installing to the default location with the installer, as that
will make stack install
and stack upgrade
work correctly out of the box.
Manual download¶
-
Unpack the archive and place
stack.exe
somewhere on your PATH (see the Path section below). -
Now you can run Stack from the command line in a terminal.
Path¶
You can install Stack by copying the executable file anywhere on your PATH. A good place to install is the same directory where Stack itself will install executables, which depends on the operating system:
Stack installs executables to:
If you don't have that directory in your PATH, you may need to update your
PATH. That can be done by editing the ~/.bashrc
file.
Note
If you used GHCup to install Stack, GHCup
puts executable files in the bin
directory in the GHCup root directory.
China-based users¶
If you're attempting to install Stack from within China:
-
As of 24 February 2020, the download link has limited connectivity from within mainland China. If this is the case, please proceed by manually downloading (ideally via a VPN) and installing Stack per the instructions found on this page pertinent to your operating system.
-
After installation, your
config.yaml
file will need to be configured before Stack can download large files consistently from within China (without reliance on a VPN). Please add the following to the bottom of theconfig.yaml
file:
###ADD THIS IF YOU LIVE IN CHINA
setup-info-locations:
- "http://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/stackage/stack-setup.yaml"
urls:
latest-snapshot: http://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/stackage/snapshots.json
package-indices:
- download-prefix: http://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/hackage/
Using an HTTP proxy¶
To use Stack behind a HTTP proxy with IP address IP and port PORT, first set
up an environment variable http_proxy
and then run the Stack command. For
example:
On most operating systems, it is not mandatory for programs to follow the "system-wide" HTTP proxy. Some programs, such as browsers, do honor this "system-wide" HTTP proxy setting, while other programs, including Bash, do not. That means configuring "http proxy setting" in your System Preferences (macOS) would not result in Stack traffic going through the proxy.
It is not mandatory for programs to follow the "system-wide" HTTP proxy. Some programs, such as browsers, do honor this "system-wide" HTTP proxy setting, while other programs do not. That means configuring "http proxy setting" in your Control Panel would not result in Stack traffic going through the proxy.
Upgrade Stack¶
There are different approaches to upgrading Stack, which vary as between Unix-like operating systems (including macOS) and Windows.
Note
If you used GHCup to install Stack, you
should also use GHCup to upgrade Stack. GHCup uses an executable named
stack
to manage versions of Stack, through a file stack.shim
. Stack will
likely overwrite the executable on upgrade.
There are essentially four different approaches:
-
The
stack upgrade
command, which downloads a Stack executable, or builds it from source, and installs it to Stack's 'local-bin' directory (seestack path --local-bin
). If different and permitted, it also installs a copy in the directory of the current Stack executable. (If copying is not permitted, copystack
from Stack's 'local-bin' directory to the system location afterward.) You can usestack upgrade
to get the latest official release, andstack upgrade --git
to install from GitHub and live on the bleeding edge. Make sure the location of the Stack executable is on the PATH. See the Path section above. -
If you're using a package manager and are happy with sticking with the officially released binaries from the distribution (which may the lag behind the latest version of Stack significantly), simply follow your normal package manager strategies for upgrading. For example:
-
The
get.haskellstack.org
script supports the-f
argument to over-write the current Stack executable. For example, command:or:
-
Manually follow the steps above to download the newest executable from the GitHub releases page and replace the old executable.
There are essentially two different approaches:
-
The
stack upgrade
command, which downloads a Stack executable, or builds it from source, and installs it to Stack's 'local-bin' directory (seestack path --local-bin
). If different and permitted, it also installs a copy in the directory of the current Stack executable. (If copying is not permitted, copystack
from Stack's 'local-bin' directory to the system location afterward.) You can usestack upgrade
to get the latest official release, andstack upgrade --git
to install from GitHub and live on the bleeding edge. Make sure the location of the Stack executable is on the PATH. See the Path section above. -
Manually follow the steps above to download the newest executable from the GitHub releases page and replace the old executable.
Install earlier versions¶
To install a specific version of Stack, navigate to the desired version on the GitHub release page, and click the appropriate link under its "Assets" drop-down menu.
Alternatively, use the URL
https://github.com/commercialhaskell/stack/releases/download/vVERSION/stack-VERSION-PLATFORM.EXTENSION
.
For example, the tarball for Stack version 2.1.0.1, osx-x86_64 is at
https://github.com/commercialhaskell/stack/releases/download/v2.1.0.1/stack-2.1.0.1-osx-x86_64.tar.gz
.
Here's a snippet for appveyor.yml
files, borrowed from dhall
's
appveyor.yml
.
Change the values of PATH and VERSION as needed.
install:
- set PATH=C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin;%PATH%
- curl --silent --show-error --output stack.zip --location "https://github.com/commercialhaskell/stack/releases/download/v%STACK_VERSION%/stack-%STACK_VERSION%-windows-x86_64.zip"
- 7z x stack.zip stack.exe
- stack setup > nul
- git submodule update --init --recursive